[Review] Navman MiVue580 Dash Cam
With me reviewing cars, it was a no-brainer to get a in-car dash cam to record what was ahead of me in case of an accident. Or perhaps one of those YouTube moments where you capture something spectacular on the dash cam that you must share with the world for them to actually believe your story. Thanks to Navman, we were able to get our hands on the Navman MiVue580 Full HD Digital Drive Recorder.
When I first handled the MiVue580 in my hands I was thinking that it was such a small little device! Don’t let that fool you because it is one hell of a beast! Videos were recorded in Full HD 1080P quality, but in increments of 1 minute, 3 minute or 5 minute clips. I set mine to 5 minute clips because I had a 64GB microSD card (which is not included by the way). Just to let you know, the MiVue580 only supports a maximum of 32GB so it will only allocate 32GB of video and images on the device.
The MiVue580 has a full capacitive 2.5″ touch screen, and with built-in GPS, you can get every detail you need about your journey, especially if you happen to have an unfortunate incident, which I haven’t yet with the MiVue580 (touch wood)!
The MiVue580 even records audio from inside the car, and also records the speed you were going at thanks to its in-built GPS. It really is a complete black box solution for your car!
Below is a list of all the features packed into the Navman MiVue580 dashcam.
I’ve got to say, the dash cam video quality was pretty superb, even when driving at night time. The LoLux sensor apparently helps with this as this sensor provides enhanced low-light sensitivity, which helps capture a wide range of detail even in dark conditions. I took the dash cam with me when I went to Australia last month as you can never be too careful driving in a rented vehicle, and it basically recorded our entire road trip from start to finish that I can now relive right on my laptop.
At the moment there is a firmware fault which doesn’t let you set it to the NZ Time Zone, so all the recordings are an hour earlier. Navman have recognised this fault and have said this will be fixed in the next software update, so fingers crossed for that. The time stamp issue is a pretty big one as if you are arguing with another motorist about a crash and the time stamp is wrong, the argument will be void and you will possibly lose the case.
The MiVue580 has a couple of folders built-in. A normal mode folder, a parking mode folder, an image mode folder and an emergency folder. Whenever the MiVue580 senses a sudden change in motion, the recorder will instantly save a write-protected video of the event for future analysis.
The MiVue580 was still working overtime for me even when the car was parked. If it detects a sudden motion change when the car is parked, it will again save a write-protected recording in the parking mode folder for future analysis. This may be a good reference for when a car accidentally or purposely hits you in the front, but if someone rear-ends you, the front-facing MiVue will probably be unlikely to capture it.
The full HD quality videos in daytime and night time is thanks to the Sony Exmor CMOS Sensor and the Sony Night Vision sensor. And it wouldn’t be considered a dash cam if it didn’t have a wide-angle lens that can capture a 130-degree wide view!
Another smart feature in the MiVue580 is its 3-axis G-Sensor. This sensor will show which direction the impact came from and record how the impact happened, making it ideal for any insurance-claims argument. Of course, we hope that never has to happen to you!
Overall, I am pretty impressed with the quality of this Navman MiVue580 Digital Drive Recorder. It certainly has surpassed my expectations of the device, especially upon first handling this compact little device. Don’t let its compactness fool you into how beneficial and great this product can be for your vehicle no matter the size! Now just waiting for the fix on the NZ Time Zone…
The Navman MiVue580 Digital Drive Recorder can be purchased at Noel Leeming for $300.
